Tumour-Associated Peptides that Bind to MHC Molecules

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a tumor-associated peptide containing an amino sequence, which is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:79 of the enclosed listing. The peptide has the ability to bind to a molecule of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-I. The invention also relates to the use of the peptides for manufacture of a medicament and for treating tumorous diseases. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which comprises at least one of the peptides.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of International Patent Application PCT/EP 03/03181, filed Mar. 27, 2003, designating the United States and published in German as WO 03/102023 A1, which claims priority to German Application Number 102 25 144.4, filed Mar. 29, 2002.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to tumor-associated peptides having the ability to bind to a molecule of human major histocompatibility (MHC), class I.

Such peptides are used—for example—in immunotherapy of tumor-associated diseases.

BACKGROUND ART

When tumor cells are eliminated by the immune system the identification of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) by components of the immune system plays a pivotable role. This mechanism is based on the fact that there exist qualitative or quantitative differences between tumor cells and normal cells. To induce an anti-tumor-response, the tumor cells have to express antigens which induce an immune response being sufficient for the elimination of the tumor.

In particular, CD8-expressing cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (in the following CTL) are involved in rejection of tumors. To induce such an immune reaction by cytotoxic T-cells foreign proteins/peptides have to be presented to T-cells. Antigens are recognized as peptide fragments by T-cells only if they are presented by MHC-molecules on cell surfaces. These MHC (“major histocompatibility complex”) molecules are peptide receptors which normally bind peptides intracellularly and transport them to the cell surface. This complex of peptide and MHC-molecule is recognized by T-cells. Human MHC-molecules are also designated as human leukocyte antigens (HLA).

There are two classes of MHC-molecules: MHC class-I-molecules, which are present on most cells having a nucleus, present peptides generated by degradation of endogenous proteins. MHC class-II-molecules are present on professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) only and present peptides of exogenous proteins, which are taken up and processed by APC during endocytosis. Peptide/MHC-class-I complexes are recognized by CD8-positive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, peptide/MHC class-II-complexes are recognized by CD4 helper T-cells.

In order to induce a cellular immune response a peptide has to bind to a MHC-molecule. This action depends on the allele of the MHC-molecule and on the amino acid sequence of the peptide. MHC-class-I-binding peptides, being—as a general rule—of 8 to 10 residues in length, comprise two conserved residues (“anchor”) in their sequence, that engage complementary pockets located in the MHC-molecule.

In order for the immune system to induce an effective CTL-response directed against tumor-associated peptides, these peptides have not only to be able to bind to specific MHC-class-I-molecules expressed by tumor cells but have also to be able to be recognized by T-cells having specific T-cell receptors (TCR).

When developing a tumor vaccine a main aim is to identify and to characterize tumor-associated antigens which are recognized by CD8+ CTL.

The antigens—or their epitopes, respectively—which are recognized by tumor-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes can be molecules of all classes of proteins, such an enzymes, receptors, transcription factors, etc. Another important class of tumor-associated antigens are tissue-specific structures such as the cancer-testis antigens, which are expressed in various kinds of tumors and healthy testis tissue.

In order for the T-lymphocytes to identify proteins as tumor-specific antigens and in order to use them in therapy, certain requirements have to be met: The antigen has to be expressed mainly by tumor cells and not by normal cells or at least to a minor extent as in tumors. Further, it is desirable if the specific antigen is present not only in one kind of tumor but also in other kinds in high concentrations. Further, the presence of epitopes in the amino acid sequence of the antigen is essentially since those peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens are supposed to induce a T-cell-response, either in vitro or in vivo.

Thus, TAA represent a starting point for developing a tumor vaccine. Methods for identification and characterization of TAA are based on the utilization of patient-derived CTL or on the generation of differential transcription profiles between tumors and normal tissue.

Identification of genes which are overexpressed in tumorous tissues or which are selectively expressed in such tissues does not provide precise information about utilization of antigens transcribed from these genes for immune therapy. This is based on the fact that only several epitopes of these antigens are suitable for such an utilization since a T-cell response is induced—via MHC presentation—by epitopes of the antigens only and not by the antigen as a whole. Thus it is important to select those peptides of overexpressed or selectively expressed proteins, that are presented by MHC-molecules, thereby generating points of attack for specific tumor recognition by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above it is an object of the present invention to provide at least one new amino acid sequence of such a peptide which can bind to a molecule of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class-I.

This object is achieved, according to the invention, by providing a tumor-associated peptide containing an amino acid sequence which is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:79 of the enclosed sequence listing, the peptide having the ability to bind to a molecule of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class-I.

The object underlying the invention is completely achieved in that way.

It is understood that peptides identified from the tumor may be synthesized or be expressed in cells in order to obtain larger amounts and in order to utilize them for purposes described below.

The inventors were able to identify the above-mentioned peptides as specific ligands of MHC-class-I-molecules from tumorous tissue. In this connection, with the term “tumor-associated”, peptides are denoted herein, which have been isolated and identified from tumorous material. These peptides—being presented on genuine (primary) tumors—are subject to antigen processing in a tumor cell.

The specific ligands can be used in cancer therapy, for example to induce an immune response directed against tumor cells, which express the corresponding antigens from which the peptides derive.

On the one hand, such an immune response in terms of an induction of CTL can be achieved in vivo. For that purpose a peptide is administered—for example in form of a pharmaceutical composition—to the patient, who suffers from a tumor disease associated with the TAA.

On the other hand, a CTL-response against a tumor expressing the antigen from which the peptides derive can be induced ex vivo. For this purpose the CTL-precursor cells are incubated together with antigen-presenting cells and the peptides. The CTL stimulated thereby are then cultivated, and these activated CTL are administered to the patient.

A further possibility is to load APC ex vivo with the peptides and to administer those loaded APC to a patient, who, in tumor tissue, expresses the antigen from which the peptide is derived. The APC can in turn present the peptide to the CTL in vivo and activate them.

The peptides according to the invention can further be utilized as diagnostic reagents.

In that way, the peptides can be used to find out if, in a CTL population, there exist CTL specifically directed against the peptide or if the CTL were induced by a therapy.

Further, the increase of precursor T-cells, which show reactivity against the defined peptide, can be tested with the peptide.

In addition, the peptide can be used as a marker to assess the disease course of a tumor expressing the antigen from which the peptide derives.

In the enclosed Table 1, the identified peptides are listed. They are disposed according to the respective HLA-types they are binding to. Further, in the table the proteins are disposed, from which the peptide is deriving, and the respective position of the peptide in the corresponding protein. In doing so, the English denotation of the proteins was kept to avoid misleading translations. Further, the Acc-numbers are quoted, which are listed in the gene bank of the “National Center for Biotechnology Information” of the National Institute of Health.

The inventors were able to isolate the peptides (or ligands) from renal cell carcinomas of two patients, RCC01 and RCC13. In doing so, 68 ligands from tumorous tissue of patient RCC01 were isolated and 13 ligands from tumorous tissue of patient RCC13. Two of the ligands identified in both patients were identical. Those were the peptides having the sequence ID No. 1 and 3 (YVDPVITSI of met-protooncogene (C-Met) and ALLNIKVKL of keratin 18).

79 ligands could be identified from the tumors of the patients, 30 of which were bound to the HLA-subtypes HLA-A*02, 13 were bound to HLA-A*68, 34 to HLA-B*18 or HLA-B*44 and 2 to HLA*24.

HLA-A*02-ligands were all exhibiting the allele-specific peptide motif: (Leucine/Valine, Isoleucine, Alanine or Methionine on position 2; Leucine/Valine, Isoleucine or Alanine at the C-terminus.

Some of the ligands derived from abundantly expressed so-called housekeeping genes, which are expressed equally in most tissues, but many were distinguished by tumor-association.

The peptide having the sequence ID No. 1 YVDPVITSI, for example, is concerning a ligand, which, in particular, is associated with tumors and which derives from the met-protooncogene (c-Met) (position 654-662). Peptides having the sequence ID Nos. 2, 22 and 23 derive from adipophilin (also denoted as “adipose differentiation related” protein) and comprise positions 129-137, 62-71 and 349-358 in this protein, whereby the last two are among HLA-A*68 presented peptides. The ligand having the sequence ID No. 3 is a ligand, which is derived from keratin 18 and is located at position 365-373.

The major part of the ligands was comprising the amino acid glutamic acid (E) on position 2, which is an anchor-amino acid of the HLA-B*44-subtype. In that way, peptides could be identified, which derive from proteins, that have proven to be immunogenic in earlier experiments, for example peptide having sequence ID No. 5, which derives from protein Annexin II (position in Annexin 55-63). This protein proved to be immunogenic in respect of MHC class-II-molecules in melanoma patients (see Heinzel et al., The self peptide annexin II (208-223) presented by dendritic cells sentisizes autologous CD4+ T-lymphocytes to recognize melanoma cells, 2001, Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 49: 671-678).

Further, some peptides could be identified, which derive from proteins, that are, in particular, overexpressed in tumorous tissue. Thus, fragments of Vimentin (EEIAFLKKL, position 229-237) and Caldesmon (DEAAFLERL, position 92-100) could be identified. Young et al., Expression profiling of renal epithelial neoplasms: a method for tumor classification and discovery of diagnostic molecular markers, 2001, Am. J. Pathol., 158: 1639-1651) disclosed that these proteins were overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma tissues.

The inventors were further able—among other things—to identify ligands, which derived from ets-1 (NEFSLKGVDF, position 86-95), Alpha-Catenin (NEQDLGIQY, position 169-177) and Galectin 2 (SEVKFTVTF, position 80-88).

The inventors further isolated fragment YYMIGEQKF (sequence ID No. 79) which derives from the enzyme Nicotinamid-N-Methyltransferase (position 203-211). Takahashi et al., Gene expression profiling of clear cell renal cell carcinoma: gene identification and prognostic classification, 2001, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98: 9754-9749, disclosed that this enzyme was overexpressed in renal cells carcinoma.

Surprisingly, the inventors were able to detect cytotoxic T-lymphocytes specific for one of the identified peptides in donor blood. Thus, it is possible to induce a CTL-response specific against the tumors.

The inventors were able to demonstrate, in their own experiments, that by using two exemplarily selected peptides cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) could be generated in vivo, which were specific for peptides having sequence ID No. 1 (c-Met-protoocogene-fragment or c-Met-peptide) or specific for the peptide having the sequence ID No. 2 (adipophilin fragment or adipophiline peptide). These CTL were able to specifically kill tumor cells, which expressed the respective proteins and which derived from different tumor cell lines of different patients. The inventors could further demonstrate that with the mentioned CTL dendritic cells, for example, could be lysed, which were previously pulsed (loaded) with the respective peptides. The inventors demonstrated with these experiments that human T-cells can be activated in vitro by using the peptides according to the invention as epitopes. The inventors could not only demonstrate that CTL, which were obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) of a patient and which were specific for a certain peptide, were able to kill cells of the same kind of tumor of another patient. The inventors further demonstrated that even cells of other kinds of tumors could be lysed with these CTL.

A further object of the invention relates to peptides, which may be used for stimulation of an immune response, too, which comprise sequence ID No. 1 to 79 and in the sequence of which at least one amino acid may be replaced by another amino acid with similar chemical features.

With respect to the respective MHC-subtypes, these are, for example, anchor amino acids, which may be replaced by amino acids with similar chemical features. For example, in peptides, which are associated with MHC-subtype HLA-A*02, Leucine on position 2 may be replaced with Isoleucine, Valine or with Methionine and vice versa, and Leucine at the C-terminus with Valine, Isoleucine and Alanine, which all comprise non-polar side chains.

Further, it is possible to use peptides having sequence ID Nos. 1 to 79, which comprise at least one additional amino acid at the N- or C-terminus, or in the sequence of which at least one amino acid may be deleted.

Further, peptides having sequence ID Nos. 1 79 can be used, which comprise at least one amino acid being chemically modified.

The varying amino acid(s) is (are) chosen in that way that the variation does not effect the immunogenity of the peptide, that is the peptide still displays a similar binding affinity to the MHC-molecule and the ability to stimulate T-cells.

According to the invention, the peptide can be used for treatment of tumor diseases and/or adenomatous diseases.

Tumor diseases to be treated comprise, for example, renal, breast, pancreas, gastric, testis and/or skin cancer. Listing of tumor diseases is supposed to be merely illustrative and shall not limit the scope of usage.

The inventors were able to demonstrate, in their own experiments, that the peptides according to the invention are suitable for such use. Thus, it was demonstrated that with specifically generated CTL, which were specific for certain peptides, tumor cells could be effectively and selectively killed.

To use tumor-associated antigens in a tumor vaccine there are, as a general rule, several possible forms of application. Tighe, et al., 1998, Gene vaccination: plasmid DNA is more than just a blueprint, Immunol. Today 19(2): 89-97, demonstrated that the antigen could be administered either as recombinant protein with suitable adjuvants or carrier systems or—in plasmid vectors—as cDNA encoding the antigen. In the latter cases, to induce an immune response, the antigen has to be processed and presented by antigen-presenting cells (APC) in the patient's body.

Melief, et al., 1996, Peptide-based cancer vaccines, Curr. Opin. Immunol. 8: 651-657, demonstrated a further possibility, i.e., to use synthetic peptides as vaccine.

A further object of the invention relates to the peptide, which can be used in combination with adjuvants, or on its own.

As an adjuvant, the granulocate-macrophage-colony-stimulating-factor (GM-CSF) can be used, for example.

Further examples for such adjuvants are aluminumhydroxide, emulsions of mineral oils, such as Freund's adjuvants, saponines or silicon compounds.

Use of adjuvants is of advantage, since the immune response induced by the peptide can be boosted and/or the peptide can be stabilized.

Another object of the invention relates to the peptide, which is administered when bound to an antigen-presenting cell.

This step is advantageously since the peptides can be presented to the immune system, in particular to cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL). In that way, CTL can identify and specifically kill the tumor cells. For example, dendritic cells, monocytes or B-lymphocytes are suitable as antigen-presenting cells for that purpose.

In doing so, the cells are, for example, loaded with the peptides ex vivo. On the other hand, the cells may be transfected with DNA or the corresponding RNA encoding the peptides in order for the peptides being expressed on the cells.

The inventors were able to demonstrate, in their own experiments, that dendritic cells (DC) could be loaded with specific peptides and that these loaded dendritic cells activated peptide-specific CTL. That means that the immune system can be stimulated to produce CTL directed against the tumors which express the respective peptides.

The antigen-presenting cells carrying the peptide may be used either in a direct manner or may be activated with heat shock protein gp96 prior use. This heat shock protein induces expression of MHC-class-I-molecules and of costimulating molecules such as B7, and, in addition, stimulates production of cytokins. In that way the induction of immune responses is enhanced all in all.

Yet another object of the invention relates to peptides, which are used to label leukocytes, in particular T-lymphocytes.

This use is of advantage, if the peptides are used, in a CTL-population, to detect CTL specifically directed against the peptides.

The peptide can further be used as a marker to assess a therapy course of a tumor disease.

The peptide can also be used for monitoring therapy in other immunizations or therapies. In that way the peptide may not only be used in a therapeutical way but also in a diagnostic way.

A further object of the invention relates to the peptides, which are used for generating an antibody.

Polyclonal antibodies can be obtained, in a general manner, by immunization of animals by means of injection of the peptides and subsequent purification of the immunoglobuline.

Monoclonal antibodies can be generated according to standardized protocols, for example as described in Methods Enzymol. (1986), 121, Hybridoma technology and monoclonal antibodies.

A further object of the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more peptides.

This composition may for example be applied parenterally, for example subcutaneously, intradermally or intramuscularly or may be administered orally. In doing so the peptides are dissolved or suspended in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, preferably an aqueous carrier. The composition can further comprise additives, for example, buffers, binders, diluents etc.

The peptides can also be administered together with immunostimulating substances, for example cytokins. An extensive description of additives which can be used in a composition of this nature is given, for example, in A. Kibbe, Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients, 3. ed., 2000, American Pharmaceutical Association and pharmaceutical press.

The composition may be used for prevention, prophylaxis and/or therapy of tumor diseases and/or adenomatous diseases.

The pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one of the peptides having sequence ID Nos. 1 to 79 is administered to a patient who suffers from a tumor disease, the respective peptide or antigen is associated with. Thereby, a tumor-specific immune response can be induced on basis of tumor-specific CTL.

The amount of the peptide or of the peptides being present in the pharmaceutical composition is a therapeutically effective amount. In this connection the peptides contained in the composition can bind to at least two different HLA-types.

The present invention relates, as a further object of the invention to nucleic acid molecules encoding the peptides with sequence ID Nos. 1 to 79.

The nucleic acid molecules can represent DNA- or RNA-molecules and can be used for immune therapy of cancer as well. Thereby the peptide expressed by the nucleic acid molecule induces an immune response against tumor cells, which express the peptide.

According to the invention the nucleic acid molecules can be provided in a vector.

The invention further relates to a cell genetically modified by means of the nucleic acid molecule so that the cell is producing a peptide having sequence ID Nos. 1 to 79.

For this purpose, the cells are transfected with DNA or corresponding RNA encoding the peptides, thereby expressing the peptides on the cells. For this purpose, for example dendritic cells, monocytes or B-lymphocytes are suitable as antigen-presenting cells.

It will be understood that the features which are mentioned above and the features still to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations which are in each case specified but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Embodiments of the invention are displayed and explained in the figures below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the detection of CD8+-T-lymphocytes specific for keratin 18;

FIGS. 2 a-d show the induction of CTL-responses in vitro, specific for the c-Met-peptide (SEQ ID No. 1), FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, or the adipophilin-peptide (SEQ ID No. 2), FIGS. 2 c and 2 d;

FIGS. 3 a-f show antigen-specific lysis of tumor cell lines expressing c-Met or adipophilin, mediated by c-Met-peptide (SEQ ID No. 1), FIGS. 3 a-d, or adipophilin-peptide (SEQ ID No. 2), FIGS. 3 e and 3 f, induced CTL;

FIGS. 4 a-c show lysis-inhibition assays with 51 Cr-labeled tumor cells and unlabeled pulsed T2-cells mediated by c-Met-peptide (SEQ ID No. 1), FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, or adipophilin-peptide (SEQ ID No. 2), FIG. 4 c) induced CTL;

FIGS. 5 a and b show lysis of autologous dendritic cell transfected with tumor RNA mediated by c-Met-peptide (SEQ ID No. 1), FIG. 5 a, or adipophilin-peptide (SEQ ID No. 2), FIG. 5 b, induced CTL;

FIG. 6 shows that adipophilin-specific autologous CTL induced in vitro recognize autologous tumor cells of a patient with chronic lymphatic leukaemia but not autologous dendritic or B-cells.

MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Example 1 1.1 Patient Samples

Samples of patients having histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma were obtained from the department of urology, University of Tubingen. Both patients had not received preoperative therapy. Patient No. 1 (in the following designated RCC01) had the following HLA-typing: HLA-A*02 A*68 B*18 B*44; patient No. 2 (in the following designated RCC13) HLA-A*02 A*24 B*07 B*40.

1.2 Isolation of MHC-Class-1-Bound Peptides

Shock-frozen tumor samples were processed as described in Schirle, M. et al., Identification of tumor-associated MHC-class I ligands by a novel T cell-independent approach, 2000, European Journal of Immunology, 30: 2216-2225. Peptides were isolated according to standard protocols using monoclonal antibody W6/32 being specific for HLA class I or monoclonal antibody BB7.2 being specific for HLA-A2. Production and utilization of these antibodies is described by Barnstable, C. J. et al., Production of monoclonal antibodies to group A erythrocytes, HLA and other human cell surface antigens—New tools for genetic analysis, 1978, Cell, 14:9-20 and Parham, P. & Brodsky, F. M., Partial purification and some properties of BB7.2. A cytotoxic monoclonal antibody with specificity for HLA-A2 and a variant of HLA-A28, 1981, Hum. Immunol., 3:277-299.

1.3 Mass Spectrometry

Peptides from tumor tissue of patient RCC01 were separated by reversed phase HPLC(SMART-system, μRPC C2/C18 SC 2.1/19, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) and fractions were analyzed by nanoESI MS. In doing so it was proceeded as described in Schirle, M. et al., Identification of tumor-associated MHC class I ligands by a novel T cell-independent approach, 2000, European Journal of Immunology, 30: 2216-2225.

Peptides from tumor tissue of patient RCC13 were identified by online capillary LC-MS as mentioned above with minor modifications: Sample volumes of about 100 μl were loaded, desalted and preconcentrated on a 300 μm*5 mm C18 μ-precolumn (LC packings). A syringe pump (PHD 2000, Harvard Apparatus, Inc.) equipped with a gastight 100 μl-syringe (1710 RNR, Hamilton), delivered solvent and sample at 2 μl/min. For peptide separation, the preconcentration column was switched in line with a 75 μm*250 mm C-18-column (LC packings). Subsequently a binary gradient of 25%-60% B within 70 min was performed, applying a 12 μl/min flow rate reduced to approximately 300 nl/min with a precolumn using a TEE-piece (ZT1C, Valco) and a 300 μm*150 mm C-18-column.

A blank run was always included to ensure that the system was free of residual peptides. On-line fragmentation was performed as described and fragment spectra were analyzed manually. Database searches (NCBInr, EST) were made using MASCOT.

1.4 Identification of 77 MHC-Class-I-Ligands of Tumorous Tissue of Patient RCC01

In the enclosed Table 1 the ligands are listed which were bound to HLA-A*02, HLA-A*68, HLA-B*18 or HLA-B*44. Peptides that bound to HLA-A*02 reflected the allele-specific peptide motif: On position 2 Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine, Alanine or Methionine and at the C-terminus Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine or Alanine. Most ligands were derived from so-called housekeeping proteins but ligands from proteins with reported tumor-associated associations could be detected also.

HLA-A*68 ligands were identified by their anchor amino acid Threonine, Isoleucine, Valine, Alanine or Leucine on position 2 and Arginine or Lysine at the C-terminus. This indicated to subtype HLA-A*6801. Two other ligands from adipophilin were found among HLA-A*68 presented peptide, MTSALPEIQK and MAGDIYSVFR, and further ETIPLTAEKL deriving from tumor-associated cycline D1. Peptide TIVNILTNR derives from Annexin II, this protein proved as immunogenic in connection with MHC-class-II in melanoma patients (see Heinzel et al., The self peptide annexin II (208-223) presented by dendritic cells sentisizes autologous CD4+ T-lymphocytes to recognize melanoma cells, 2001, Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 49: 671-678). Further ligands were carrying glutamic acid on position 2 which is an anchor amino acid of the HLA-B*44-subtype. Since the peptide motif of HLA-B*18 is unknown the distinction between ligands of these two HLA-B-molecules was not possible.

1.5 MHC-Class-I-Ligands of Tumorous Tissue of Patient RCC13

With this tumorous tissue, too, the same ligands could be identified, which have been identified in patient RCC01 and which derived from met-protooncogene (c-Met) and keratin 18: peptides having sequence ID Nos. 1 and 3. In addition, further ligands could be obtained from this tumorous tissue: A ligand could be identified which derives from nicotinamide-N-methyltransferase (NNMT); this gene is overexpressed in more than 95% of all renal carcinoma. Further, some other ligands overlap with the peptide repertoire of RCC01.

1.6 Detection of Keratin 18-Specific T-Cells in Normal CD8-T-Cell Repertoire

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy patients were stained with HLA-A*0201-tetramers which were folded with adipophilin-, keratin 18- or met-protooncogene (c-Met)-peptides: For generation of the tetramers, recombinant HLA-A*0201-molecules were folded in vitro with the peptides SVASTITGV (SEQ ID No. 2, adipophilin), ALLNIKVKL (SEQ ID No. 3, keratin 18) or YVDPVITSI (SEQ ID No. 1, met-protooncogene, c-Met), purified by means of gel filtration, biotinylated and mixed with streptavidin to link the monomers.

Unexpectedly, a significant population of CD8⁺-T-lymphocytes specific for keratin 18 was found in four out of 22 healthy individuals. In FIG. 1, the results of double staining are shown in dotplots, whereby in the middle row the results of staining with keratin 18 is shown. Between 0.02 and 0.2% of the CD8⁺-positive T-cells were specific for keratin 18. As can be seen from the lower row of the dotplots, binding of the keratin 18-tetramer was specific.

Example 2

To analyze presentation of the peptides with SEQ ID No. 1 (YVDPVITSI) (peptide fragment of c-Met-protooncogene) and SEQ ID No. 2 (peptide fragment of adipophilin) by tumor cells and their recognition by CTL, CTL were induced in vitro, which were specific for the c-Met-peptide (peptide with SEQ ID No. 1) and CTL which were specific for the adipophilin-peptide (SEQ ID No. 2). In doing so, dendritic cells (DC) derived from healthy HLA-A*02-positive donors were used.

2.1 Generation of DC

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were isolated by Ficoll/Paque-(Biochrom, Berlin, Germany)-density gradients centrifugation of heparinized blood obtained from buffy coat preparations of healthy volunteers from the blood bank of the University of Tübingen. Cells were seeded (1×10⁷ cells/3 ml per well) into 6-well plates (Falcon, Heidelberg, Germany) in RP10 media (RPMI 1640, supplied with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum and with antibiotics). After 2 hours of incubation at 37° C. and 5% CO₂, non-adherent cells were removed and the adherent blood monocytes were cultured in RP10 medium supplemented with the following cytokins: human recombinant GM-CSF (granulocyte makrophage colony stimulating factor; Leukomax, Novartis; 100 ng/ml), Interleukin IL-4 (R&D Systems, Wiesbaden, Germany, 1000 IU/ml) and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor α) (R&D Systems, Wiesbaden, Germany, 10 ng/ml).

2.2 Synthesis of Peptides

Exemplary, two HLA-A*02-binding peptides (c-Met SEQ ID No. 1, YVDPVITSI) or adipophilin (SEQ ID No. 2, SVASTITGV) which were identified as described above) were synthesized using standard F-moc chemistry on a peptide synthesizer (432A, Applied Biosystems, Weiterstadt, Germany) and analyzed by reversed phase HPLC and mass spectrometry. In that way, sufficient amounts of the identified peptides can be generated.

2.3 Induction of Antigen-Specific CTL-Response Using HLA-A*02 Restricted Synthetic Peptides

For CTL induction, the DC obtained in step 2.1 (5×10⁵) were pulsed with the peptides obtained in step 2.2 with SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 2, each with 50 μg/ml for 2 hours, washed and incubated with 2.5×10⁶ autologous PBMNC in RP10 medium.

After 7 days of culture, cells were restimulated with autologous PBMNC pulsed with peptides. In doing so, 1 ng/ml human recombinant Interleukin IL-2 (R&D Systems) was added on days 1, 3 and 5. The cytolytic activity of thereby induced CTL was analyzed on day 5 after the last restimulation in a standard ⁵¹Cr-release-assay (see below, under 2.4: CTL-assay).

2.4 CTL-Assay

In the CTL-assays, tumor cells, peptide-pulsed cells of different cell lines and autologous DC were used as target cells. Peptide-pulsed cells were pulsed with 50 μg/ml peptide (SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 2) for 2 hours. All target cells were labeled with [⁵¹Cr] sodium chromate in RP10 (RPMI 1640, supplemented with 10% heat inactivated calf serum and antibiotics) for 1 hour at 37° C. Subsequently, 10⁴ cells/well were transferred to a 96-well round bottomed plate. Varying numbers of CTL were added to give a final volume of 200 μl and incubated for 4 hours at 37° C. At the end of the assays, supernatants (50 μl/well) were harvested and counted in a beta-plate counter. The percent-specific lysis was calculated as: 100×(experimental release-spontaneous release/maximal release-spontaneous release). The spontaneous and maximal release were determined in the presence of either medium or 2% Triton X-100, respectively.

2.5 Results of the CTL-Induction

a) CTL-Cytotoxic Activity Against Peptide-Pulsed Dc

In FIG. 2, the results of the ⁵¹Cr-release-assay (see under 2.4) with respect to the cytotoxic activity of induced CTL (see under 2.3) against T2- or DC-cells is shown. The T2-cell line is HLA-A*02-positive and TAP (transporter associated with antigen processing) deficient; (TAP-peptide-transporter transport peptide fragments of a proteinous antigen from the cytosol to the endoplasmatic reticulum, where they associate with MHC-molecules).

In FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, the cytotoxic activity of CTL induced with peptide with SEQ ID NO:1 against T2-cells and DC is shown, both cell types had previously been pulsed with the (c-Met-)peptide with SEQ ID No. 1 (black filled boxes) or an ir-relevant peptide (Survivin “Sv”; ELTLGEFLKL; SEQ ID No. 80) or HIV (ILKEPVHGV; Pol. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase peptide, position 476-484; SEQ ID No. 81). In FIGS. 2 c and 2 d, the cytotoxic activity of CTL induced with peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 against T2- and DC-cells is shown, which had previously been pulsed with the (adipophilin)-peptide with the SEQ ID No. 2.

The specific lysis, which is demonstrated in the release of ⁵¹Cr, is, in FIGS. 2 a-2 d,—as well as in the CTL-lysis-diagrams of FIGS. 3-5—shown vs. different ratios of effector cells (CTL) to target cells (⁵¹Cr-labeled cells to be lysed).

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 a-2 d, an antigen-specific killing of cells could be demonstrated with a CTL-cell line, which has been generated after 2-weekly restimulation: Only cells were lysed by an increasing amount of CTL, which presented either the c-Met-peptide with the SEQ ID No. 1 (FIGS. 2 a and 2 b) or the adipophilin-peptide with the SEQ ID NO:2 (FIGS. 2 c and 2 d) (see in the FIGS. 2 a-2 d curves with black filled boxes, respectively); while control cells pulsed with irrelevant peptides were not lysed (curves with empty boxes). Thereby the specificity of the cytolytic activity could be demonstrated.

b) CTL-Cytotoxic Activity Against Tumor Cell Lines

Next, it was tested, in a standard tumor ⁵¹Cr-release-assays again, whether CTL specific for the c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID No. 1 or for adipophilin-peptide with SEQ ID No. 2 recognized and lysed tumor cells, which endogeously express the c-Met-protooncogene or adipophilin.

In doing so, the following cell lines, ⁵¹Cr-labeled, HLA-A*02-positive, were used: HCT 116 (colon cancer; obtained from Prof. G. Pawelec, Tubingen, Germany), A 498, MZ 1257 and MZ 1774 (renal cell carcinoma; obtained from Prof. A. Knuth, Frankfurt, Germany), MCF-7 (breast cancer; obtained from ATCC, American Type Culture Collection), Mel 1479 (Malignant melanoma; obtained from Prof. G. Pawelec, Tübingen, Germany) and U 266 (multiple myeloma; obtained from Prof. G. Pawelec, Tübingen, Germany). These cell lines express c-Met-protooncogene and adipophilin as target structures (“targets”).

In the experiments CEBV (Epstein-Barr-virus)-immortalized B-cell line Croft, HLA-A*01-positive; obtained from O. J. Finn, Pittsburgh, USA) and cell line SK-OV-3 (ovarian cancer; HLA-A*03-positive; obtained from O. J. Finn, Pittsburgh, USA) were used as negative controls. K 562-cells (for example obtainable at the German Collection of Mikro Organisms and Cell Cultures DSMZ; ACC 10) were used to determine the activity of natural killer cells (NK) since the cell line is highly sensitive for these killer cells.

All cell lines were cultivated in RP10 medium (RPMI 1640, supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum and antibiotics).

With the above-mentioned tumor cell lines and the CTL induced ⁵¹Cr-release assays (see under 2.4.) were carried out as mentioned above.

FIGS. 3 a-3 f show the results of these CTL-assays, whereby in FIGS. 3 a-3 d CTL were used which were induced using c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID No. 1, and in FIGS. 3 e-3 f CTL were used, which were induced using adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID No. 2.

As can be seen from FIGS. 3 a-3 f, the CTL specific for c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID No. 1 (FIGS. 3 a-3 d) or specific for adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID No. 2 (FIGS. 3 e and 3 f) were able to efficiently lyse tumor cells expressing both HLA-A*02 and c-Met or adipophilin (that is in FIG. 3 a cell line HCT 116, in FIG. 3 b cell line A 498, in FIG. 3 c cell lines MZ 1257 and MEL 1479 and in FIG. 3 d cell lines MCF-7 and U 266; in FIG. 3 e cell lines A 494, U 266 and MCF-7, in FIG. 3 f cell lines MZ 1774, MeI 1479 and MZ 1257). Specific lysis was measured—as mentioned under 2.4.—via ⁵¹Cr release. There was no lysis of the control cell line SK-OV-3 (HLA-A-*02-negative), neither through CTL, which were induced by the peptide with SEQ ID NO:1 nor through CTL, which were induced by the peptide with SEQ ID NO:2. Thus, it could be demonstrated that both peptides have to be presented on tumor cells in connection with HLA-A*02-molecules to efficiently lyse the target cells. Further, the antigen-specificity and the MHC-restriction of the CTL is proved in that way.

CTL-cells induced in vitro with the peptide having SEQ ID NO:1 did not recognize the K₅₆₂ cell line (see FIGS. 3 a, 3 b and 3 d), indicating that the cytotoxic activity was not mediated by natural killer (NK)-cells.

c) Inhibition-Assays

To further verify the antigen-specificity and the MHC-restriction of the in-vitro-induced CTL, inhibition assays with non-⁵¹Cr-labeled (“cold”) inhibitor cell lines were performed.

In doing so, the ability of peptide-pulsed cell lines was analyzed to inhibit the lysis of tumor cells (competition assay). For this purpose, an excess of inhibitor (that is an excess of unlabeled pulsed cells) was used. The ratio of inhibitor (peptide-pulsed cells) to target (tumor cells) was 20:1. When inhibitor cell lines were lysed, no ⁵¹Cr was released, since the inhibitor cell lines were unlabeled.

Cell line T2 (HLA-A*02; TAP-deficient; see under 2.5.a) was used as inhibitor. Previous to the assay, this cell line T2 was pulsed with the relevant peptides (SEQ ID NOS:1 or 2) or an irrelevant control peptide (Survivin Sv), SEQ ID NO:80), respectively.

Results of these tests are shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 c, whereby in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b CTL were used which were c-Met-peptide-induced (SEQ ID NO:1) and in FIG. 4 c CTL were used, which were adipophilin-peptide-induced (SEQ ID NO:2).

In FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, lysis of the ⁵¹Cr-labeled cell lines U 266 and A 498 was tested without inhibitor cell line (see the curve with black filled boxes); lysis with inhibitor cell line T2, pulsed with an irrelevant peptide (Survivin; SEQ ID NO:80; negative control, curves with the filled triangles); and lyses with the inhibitor cell line T2 pulsed with the c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID NO:1 (curves with the empty rhombus).

Without inhibitor cells, lysis of tumor cells by CTL could be demonstrated (see in FIGS. 4 a-4 d curves with black filled boxes, respectively). Further, as can be seen from FIGS. 4 a and 4 b, when using an excess of inhibitor target tumor cells were not lysed (and no ⁵¹Cr was released), if the inhibitor target was pulsed with c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID NO:1 (see curves with the empty rhombus symbols, respectively). The activity of the CTL was directed against the excess unlabeled T-cells, so that these cells and not the tumor cells were lysed. The T2-cells pulsed with an irrelevant peptide (Survivin respectively; SEQ ID NO:80) were not able to inhibit the lysis of tumor cells by CTL, so that released ^(5′)Cr could be measured (see in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b curves with black filled triangles).

A similar event could be shown when using CTL induced with adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 (see FIG. 4 c):

MHC-restriction and antigen-specificity of the cytotoxic activity of the adipophiline-induced CTL could be demonstrated by using a HLA-A*02-specific monoclonal antibody and in an inhibition assay with unlabeled (“cold”) inhibitor: The results of this experiment are shown in FIG. 4 c. A 498-tumor cells were blocked when adding HLA-A*02-specific antibody (monoclonal antibody BB7.2, IgG2b, obtained from S. Stefanovic, Tubingen) so that they were not lysed by the added CTL and no ⁵¹Cr was released (see FIG. 4 c curve with filled triangle-symbols). As a control a non-specific antibody was used, which did not block the HLA-A*02-molecule (ChromPure Maus IgG, Dianova, Germany; see in FIG. 4 c curve with filled boxes). With these inhibition assays, the cells were incubated with 10 μg/ml antibody previous to seeding on the 96-well-plates for 30 min.

Further, it could be demonstrated that the T2-competition cell line pulsed with the irrelevant peptide Survivin (SEQ ID NO:80) (T2/SV), was not able to inhibit CTL-induced lysis of tumor cell line A 498 (see in FIG. 4 c curve with black filled circles), but T2-inhibitor cell line pulsed with adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 (T2/AD) was able to inhibit the lysis of the tumor cell line, so that—refrain to the latter case—no ⁵¹Cr release could be measured (see in FIG. 4 c curve with x-symbols).

d) Specific Lysis of Transfected DC

In a next experiment, the cytotoxic activity of CTL in an autologous setting was analyzed. In doing so, autologous DC, generated from the same PBMNC that were utilized for CTL induction (see under 2.2.), were used as target cells. Prior to the CTL-assay, the DC were electroporated with RNA, which was previously isolated either from tumor cell lines or which represented control-RNA (in vitro transcribed EGFP—RNA, enhanced Green fluorescent protein-RNA); plasmide: pSP64 Poly(A) EGFPII, obtained from Van Tendeloo, Antwerp, Belgium). Total RNA of tumor cells was isolated with the QIAGEN Rneasy Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) according to the manufacturer's protocol. Quantity and purity of RNA were determined by spectrophotometry and stored in aliquots at −80° C.

Prior to electroporation on day 6, immature DC were washed twice with serum-free X-VIVO 20 medium (BioWhittaker, Walkersville, USA) and resuspended to a final concentration of 2×10⁷ cells/ml. Subsequently, 200 μl of the cell suspension were mixed with 10 μg of total RNA and electroporated in a 4 mm-cuvette using an Easyject Plus™ (Peglab, Erlangen, Germany) (parameters: 300 V, 150 μF, 1540Ω, pulse time 231 ms). After electroporation the cells were immediately transferred into RP10 medium and returned to the incubator. More than 80% of the cells proved to be viable after electroporation.

The results of these experiments are shown in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b. In FIG. 5 a CTL were used, which were induced with c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID NO: 1, in FIG. 5 b CTL were used which were induced with adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID NO:2.

After performing the CTL-assay with the CTL induced by c-Met-peptide (SEQ ID NO: 1) (see under 2.4.) a specific lysis of DC could be demonstrated which were electroporated with RNA of c-Met-expressing tumor cell lines (A 498 and MCF-7) (see in FIG. 5 a, curves with black filled symbols). DC electroporated with RNA of the non-C-met-expressing tumor cell line Croft were not lysed (see curve with the empty rhombus).

CTL induced with adipophilin-peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 lysed DC which were electroporated with RNA of the adipophilin-expressing cell line A 498 (see in FIG. 5 b curve with black filled triangles). Further, DC were lysed which were pulsed with the adipophilin-peptide SEQ ID NO:2 (see in FIG. 5 b curve with black filled rhombus). On the other hand, DC electroporated with control (EGFP) RNA were not lysed (see in FIG. 5 b curve with the empty triangles).

Thus it could be demonstrated that—after transfection of the DC with RNA of c-Met- or adipophilin-positive tumor cells—the identified peptides, that is c-Met-peptide with SEQ ID NO: 1 and adipophilin-peptide with SEQ ID NO:2, were processed and presented.

e) Induction of Adipophilin-Specific CTL in a Patient with Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia

In a further experiment, CTL were generated from PBMNC of HLA-A*0201-positive patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL), which were specific for adipophilin-peptide with SEQ ID NO:2. The patient was in remission after treatment with fludarabine. Further, autologous CLL-cells and DC of this patient were used as ⁵¹Cr-labeled targets in an assay, in which ⁵¹Cr-release is mediated by the peptide-induced CTL.

As shown in FIG. 6, the peptide-induced CTL efficiently lysed autologous DC from this patient that were pulsed with the adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 (“DC+AD”) as well as the autologous CLL-cells (“CLL cells”). DC which were pulsed with the irrelevant peptide Survivin with SEQ ID NO:80 were—on the other hand—not lysed (“DC+SV”). Also, non-malignant B-cells and cell line K 562 were not lysed by CTL.

The specificity of the CTL-response was further confirmed in a target inhibition assay, using the cell line T2 (see above) as inhibitor cells, which were pulsed with the adipophilin peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 or with the irrelevant peptide Survivin with SEQ ID NO:80, respectively. The CTL induced with adipophilin-peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 lysed the excess inhibitor cell lines which were pulsed with the relevant peptide with SEQ ID NO:2 no that ⁵¹Cr-labeled tumor cells were not lysed in this case (see in FIG. 6 the curve with empty boxes).

In conclusion, the inventors could show that the identified peptides represent promising substances in the scope of an immune therapy for many (tumor) diseases.

TABLE 1 Sequence Position/Gene Acc. No. SEQ ID-No. Patient RCC01 HLA-A*02  1. YVDPVITSI 654-662 J02958 SEQ ID-Nr. 1 met proto-oncogen  2. SVASTITGV 129-137 X97324 SEQ ID-Nr. 2 adipose differentiation-related protein  3. ALLNIKVKL 365-373 M26326 SEQ ID-Nr. 3 keratin 18  4. ALFDGDPHL 1-9 AB002365 SEQ ID-Nr. 4 KIAA0367  5. RLLDYVVNI 679-687 AB040951 SEQ ID-Nr. 5 hypothetical protein FLJ20004  6. ALANGIEEV 101-109 AY014906 SEQ ID-Nr. 6 apolipoprotein L, 3  7. QLIDKVWQL 593-601 D67029 SEQ ID-Nr. 7 SEC14 (S. cerevisiae)-like 1  8. ALSDLEITL 389-397 Z24725 SEQ ID-Nr. 8 mitogen inducible 2  9. ILDTGTIQL 174-182 AB013094 SEQ ID-Nr. 9 kidney-and liver-specific gene 10. SLLGGDVVSV 27-36 AF153603 SEQ ID-Nr. 10 delta sleep inducing peptide, immunoreactor 11. FLDGNELTL 167-175 U93205 SEQ ID-Nr. 11 chloride intracellular channel 1 12. NLLPKLHIV 179-187 U93205 SEQ ID-Nr. 12 chloride intracellular channel 1 13. ALASHLIEA 507-515 AF181263 SEQ ID-Nr. 13 EH-domain containing 2 14. SLYGGTITI 296-304 AK000697 SEQ ID-Nr. 14 hypothetical protein FLJ11189 15. FLLDKKIGV 218-226 AF026166 SEQ ID-Nr. 15 chaperonin containing TCP1, subunit 2 (beta) 16. FLDGNEMTL 178-186 AF097330 SEQ ID-Nr. 16 chloride intracellular channel 4 17. AIVDKVPSV 147-155 AF100756 SEQ ID-Nr. 17 coat-protein gamma-cop 18. DVASVIVTKL 241-250 U51920 SEQ ID-Nr. 18 signal recognition particle 54 kD 19. LASVSTVL 130-137 AF230076 SEQ ID-Nr. 19 hemoglobin, alpha 2 20. VMAPRTLVL 3-11 SEQ ID-Nr. 20 HLA-A 21. LLFDRPMHV 267-275 L03532 SEQ ID-Nr. 21 hnRNP M HLA-A*68 22. MTSALPIIQK 62-71 X97324 SEQ ID-Nr. 22 adipose differentiation-related protein 23. MAGDIYSVFR 349-358 X97324 SEQ ID-Nr. 23 adipose differentiation-related protein 24. ETIPLTAEKL 115-124 X59798 SEQ ID-Nr. 24 cyclin D1/PRADI 25. DVMVGPFKLR 934-943 AJ303079 SEQ ID-Nr. 25 A kinase (PRKA) anchor protein 2 26. THDILTKR 64-72 X05908 SEQ ID-Nr. 26 annexin A1 27. TIVNILTNR 55-63 BC001388 SEQ ID-Nix 27 annexin A2 28. TIIDIITHR 385-393 J03578 SEQ ID-Nr. 28 annexin A6 29. SIFDGRVVAK 107-116 AB020980 SEQ ID-Nr. 29 putative membrane protein 30. STIEYVIQR 115-123 BC005032 SEQ ID-Nr. 30 Sec23 (S. cerevisiae) homolog B 31. ELIKPPTILR 132-141 AF092092 SEQ ID-Nr. 31 adaptor-related protein complex 3 32. EIAMATVTALR 248-258 X12447 SEQ ID-Nr. 32 aldolase A, fructose-biphosphate 33. ETIGEILKK 95-103 BC000355 SEQ ID-Nr. 33 hnRNP K 34. SLADIMAKR 86-94 BC000690 SEQ ID-Nr. 34 ribosomal protein L24 HLA-B*44 oder HLA-B*18 35. EEIAFLKKL 229-237 M14144 SEQ ID-Nr. 35 vimentin 36. DEAAFLERL 92-100 M64110 SEQ ID-Nr. 36 caldesmon 1 37. DEMKVLVL 545-552 M96803 SEQ ID-Nr. 37 spectrin, beta, non-erythrocytic 1 38. DEVKFLTV 191-198 M82809 SEQ ID-Nr. 38 annexin A4 39. NENSLFKSL 935-943 D21260 SEQ ID-Nr. 39 clathrin, heavy polypeptide (Hc) 40. DEFKVVVV 373-380 AF100756 SEQ ID-Nr. 40 coat protein, gamma-cop 41. EEVKLIKKM 137-145 M11147 SEQ ID-Nr. 41 ferritin, light polypeptide 42. DEVKLPAKL 158-166 AF312393 SEQ ID-Nr. 42 polymerase I and transcript release factor 43. TERELKVAY 637-645 AB040951 SEQ ID-Nr. 43 hypothetical protein FLJ20004 44. NEFSLKGVDF 86-95 J04101 SEQ ID-Nr. 44 ets-1 45. NEQDLGIQY 169-177 D13866 SEQ ID-Nr. 45 catenin alpha 1 46. EERIVELF 306-313 BC000627 SEQ ID-Nr. 46 signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 47. EEIREAFRVF 84-93 J04046 SEQ ID-Nr. 47 calmodulin 3 48. DEYIYRHFF 344-352 AF011794 SEQ ID-Nr. 48 cell cycle progression 8 protein 49. DELELHQRF 308-316 X86098 SEQ ID-Nr. 49 adenovirus 5 E1A binding protein 50. SEVKFTVTF 80-88 M87842 SEQ ID-Nr. 50 galectin 2 51. IETIINTE 12-19 M26311 SEQ ID-Nr. 51 calgranulin B 52. KENPLQFKF 61-69/72-80 105021/ SEQ ID-Nr. 52 villin 2 (ezrin)/(radixin) L02320 53. DEVRTLTY 41-48 Y10807 SEQ ID-Nr. 53 hnRNP methyltransferase, S. cerevisiae-like 2 54. GEAVVNRVF 43-51 Z14977 SEQ ID Nr. 54 large multifunctional protease 2, LMP2 55. EEVLIPDQKY 385-394 AF126028 SEQ ID-Nv. 55 F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 3A 56. DEGRLVLEF 163-171 L21934 SEQ ID-Nr. 56 sterol O-acyltransferase 1 57. DEVELIHF 838-845 AF152961 SEQ ID-Nr. 57 chromatin-specific transcription elongation factor 58. VEVLLNYAY 83-91 AF205218 SEQ ID-Nr. 58 NS1-binding protein 59. TENDIRVMF 120-128 AF267534 SEQ ID-Nr. 59 CUG triplet repeat, RNA-binding protein 1 60. LEGLTVVY 62-69 AF151878 SEQ ID-Nr. 60 coatomer protein complex subunit zeta 1 61. NELPTVAF 192-199 AK001475 SEQ ID-Nr. 61 hypothetical protein 62. EEFGQAFSF 77-85 X03100 SEQ ID-Nr. 62 MHC, class II, DP alpha 1 63. VEAIFSKY 33-40 M29063 SEQ ID-Nr. 63 hnRNP C (C1/C2) 64. DERTFHIFY 277-285 M69181 SEQ ID-Nr. 64 myosin, heavy polypeptide 10, non-muscle 65. TEKVLAAVY 206-214 K01177 SEQ ID-Nr. 65 aldolase B, fructose-bisphosphate 66. VESPLSVSF 159-167 AK025971 SEQ ID-Nr. 66 hypothetical protein FLJ22318 67. SEAGSHTLQW MHC-I SEQ ID-Nr. 67 68. DEGKVIRF 56-63 BF431469 SEQ ID-Nr. 68 EST reading frame-1 Patient RCC13 HLA-A*02 69. ALAAVVTEV frameshift, DDX3 reading frame +2 AF061337 SEQ ID-Nr. 69 70. TLIEDILGV 209-217 AL132825 SEQ ID-Nr. 70 transient receptor protein 4 associated protein 71. ALFGALFLA 2-10 L26232 SEQ ID-Nr. 71 phospholipid transfer protein 72. VLATLVLLL 72-80 AA483791 SEQ ID Nr. 72 EST 73. TLDDLIAAV 325-333 AK000904 SEQ ID-Nr. 73 hypothetical protein FLJ10042 74. YLDNGVVFV 316-324 U18299 SEQ ID-Nr. 74 damage-specific DNA binding protein 1 (127 kD) 75. SVFAGVVGV 581-589 U58855 SEQ ID-Nr. 75 guanylate cyclase 1, soluble, alpha 3 76. SLINVGLISV 48-57 BC000476 SEQ ID-Nr. 76 acidic protein rich in leucines 77. ALADGVQKV 176-184 AF323540 SEQ ID-Nr. 77 apolipoprotein L, 1) HLA-A*24 78. TYGEIFEKF 107-115 AF070652 SEQ ID-Nr. 78 NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) 1, (B14.5b) 79. YYMIGEQKF 203-211 U08021 SEQ ID-Nr. 79 nicotinamide-n-methyltransferase 

1-48. (canceled)
 49. An isolated tumour-associated peptide comprising the amino acid sequence ALADGVQKV (SEQ ID NO: 77), the peptide having the ability to bind to a molecule of human major histocompatibility complex (MC) class-I.
 50. A method of generating an immune response comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a peptide according to claim
 49. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein said subject suffers from a tumor disease selected from the group consisting of renal, breast, pancreas, gastric, bladder, and testis cancer.
 52. The method of claim 50, wherein said peptide is used in combination with an adjuvant.
 53. The method of claim 50, wherein said peptide is bound to an antigen-presenting cell.
 54. The peptide of claim 49 wherein the peptide is a marker for assessing a therapy course of a tumor disease.
 55. A method of producing an antibody comprising, a) introducing the peptide of claim 49 into a subject, b) allowing said subject to generate an antibody response, and c) isolating said antibody from said subject.
 56. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the peptide of claim 49 and at least one adjuvant.
 57. A nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide sequence of 27 nucleotides wherein said polynucleotide encodes a peptide according to claim
 49. 58. A vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding the peptide of claim 49, wherein said polynucleotide is operably linked to an expression control sequence, and wherein a host cell comprising the vector produces said peptide.
 59. A cell comprising the nucleic acid molecule according to claim
 57. 